Washington State Department of Health (DOH) confirmed a measles outbreak in Snohomish County—the first in the state since 2023. Three unvaccinated children ages 23 months to 9 years tested positive for the highly contagious disease. Additionally, one person in Kittitas county tested positive.
The outbreak comes as measles cases are rising across the United States, with multiple states reporting increased activity. States in current measles outbreak status are Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio, North Dakota, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
The Snohomish County cases are linked to a family from South Carolina who visited multiple locations in King and Snohomish Counties while infectious, Dec. 27, 2025–Jan. 1, 2026. Additional secondary cases are possible through Jan. 22, 2026 based on the exposure timeline. Locations of potential exposure to the public include:
- Jan. 9, 2026, 8:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.: Pathfinder Kindergarten Center (Mukilteo School District), 11401 Beverly Park Rd., Everett, WA, 98204.
- Jan. 9, 2026, 8:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.: Serene Lake Elementary School (Mukilteo School District), 4709 Picnic Point Rd., Edmonds, WA 98026.
- Jan. 13, 2026, 1:10 p.m.–3:10 p.m.: Swedish Mill Creek Campus medical facility, 13020 Meridian Ave. S., Everett, WA, 98208.
On Jan. 15, 2026, DOH confirmed a measles case in Kittitas County that was associated with travel to South Carolina. This individual is a student at Central Washington University (CWU) and was infectious Jan. 8–16, 2026. Additional secondary cases are possible through Feb. 2, 2026 based on the exposure timeline. Locations of potential exposure to the public include:
- Jan. 8, 2026, 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.: CWU Dining Lion Rock dining station in the Student Union & Recreation Center (SURC), 1007 N. Chestnut St., Ellensburg, WA 98926.
- Jan. 8, 2026, 3–8:30 p.m.: CWU Dining Lion Rock dining station in the SURC, 1007 N. Chestnut St., Ellensburg, WA 98926.
- Jan. 8, 2026, 1–4:50 p.m.: International Aviation Management, Samuelson Building, 111, Ellensburg, WA 98926.
- Jan. 9, 2026, 12:08–2:08 p.m.: CWU flight training center, 1101 W. Bowers Rd., Ellensburg, WA 98926.
- Jan. 9, 2026, 2:30–4:30 p.m.: CWU flight training center, 1101 W. Bowers Rd., Ellensburg, WA 98926.
Specific exposure locations and times are available on the Washington Measles Public Exposure Locations webpage. The interactive tool helps people determine if they may have been exposed and what preventive steps to take.
Washington’s last measles outbreak was in 2023, when 9 cases were confirmed, primarily in Southwest Washington.
About measles
Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, breathes, or talks. The virus can remain airborne for up to two hours, meaning people can get infected even after a sick person has left the area. Measles can cause serious health complications, especially for babies and young children.
Symptoms appear 7–21 days after exposure and include:
- High fever, cough, runny nose.
- Red, watery eyes.
- Rash which begins on the face and spreads down the body.
If you have symptoms or believe you were exposed to measles, call your healthcare provider right away. For infants too young to receive vaccine and susceptible individuals who have been exposed but have not developed symptoms, measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or immune globulin given within 72 hours of exposure can reduce the risk of developing measles.
Prevention: MMR vaccine
MMR vaccine is the strongest protection against measles and is safe and highly effective: one dose is 93% effective and two doses are 97% effective.
Getting MMR vaccine is safer than getting sick with measles, and it protects your family and community. Children normally get MMR vaccine at 1 year and 4 years of age. If you haven’t been vaccinated against measles as a child, you can get MMR vaccine an adult. Most people who get measles are unvaccinated.